Downfall
by HeartNimbus
Summary: Persephone was drowning. Every part of her body was screaming at her to breathe and she vaguely wondered how it was possible for the Daughter of the Sea God to drown. Her problem was though, that she wasn't drowning in the ocean. No, she was drowning in something much more dangerous. She was drowning in him. He would be her downfall. But could she be his salvation? (FemPercy) AU
1. Everything Changes

**AN: So this little plot bunny would not leave me alone! I absolutely adore Luke Castellan, and I truly believe that he is a Hero. I just could not resist fiddling with the Lightning Thief, because honestly, how much would have changed if Percy was a girl? There will be a link to a photo of Anaklusmos on my Profile, if you'd like to have a look! Please be gentle, this is my first Percy Jackson Fanfiction. Also for those of you who follow Addicted, the next chapter will be up within the next few days!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything associated with Percy Jackson and the Olympians as everything belongs to Mr Rick Riordan. I'm just playing in his sandbox whilst he writes his next book. Persephone however, is partially mine.**

* * *

**Downfall**

**Chapter One**

**Everything Changes**

* * *

Persephone Jackson had never been considered normal. She'd been considered a troublemaker, a pain in the ass, a nuisance and a freak. She was only seven years old when she'd asked why people hated her. The heartbroken look on her Mom's face had spoken volumes to the young girl who soon found herself cocooned in her mother's warm arms. Even now, five years later the whispered reassurances had stuck with her.

_'One day, my dear Persephone, you will realize how unbelievably special you are to this world. It may not be today, and it may not be tomorrow, but one day you will find just how extraordinary you are. I love you so much my little miracle, always remember that.'_

Now as the twelve-year-old girl sat with her head resting against the bus window with her best friend at her side the familiar voice of her mother echoed through her head like a broken record. Something about this perfectly ordinary day felt different, like something had been set in motion, something that could become as wild and out of control as a freak tornado.

Mr. Brunner, her Latin teacher at her New York private school Yancy Academy, had decided that today would be the perfect day to take twenty-eight 'troubled' sixth graders on a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to look at the new addition to their collection. A whole wing of the museum was now dedicated to ancient Greek and Roman artifacts. And while Persephone truly enjoyed learning about the ancient Greeks, she hated field trips with a passion that rivaled her love for blue food.

You see for some reason bad things happened to her on Field Trips. Not only had she set off a cannon on her fifth grade field trip that had incidentally hit their only mode of transportation, but on her fourth grade trip she'd accidentally given her classmates an up close and personal tour with some particularly pissed off sharks. Although, in her third grade, a field trip wasn't the reason she'd gotten kicked out of that particular boarding school, the exploding sinks however, were most certainly the reason that her tenure at that school was short and not quite so sweet.

"Persy?"

The black haired girl looked up, shaken from her thoughts by the scrawny kid at her side. When she'd moved to Yancy Academy, Grover had been the first person that'd made her welcome, in fact, aside from Mr. Brunner he'd been the only person to welcome her to her newest prison. Others, such as Nancy Bobofit had gone out of their way to make her life miserable.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Grove." Persephone replied softly looking at her best friend closely her fists clenched as she spotted the pieces of sandwich that were stuck to his unruly curls. "How long has she been doing that?"

Grover shrugged non-committedly. "Not long. It's fine though. I like peanut butter."

"I'm gonna kill her." The twelve-year-old muttered. She wouldn't. Kill her that was. It just frustrated her that Nancy took advantage of the fact that Grover was such an easy target, not only was he scrawny, but he was crippled too.

The green-eyed girl sighed. Each kid on the bus had their own set of problems. She for instance, had dyslexia and ADHD. It was such a fabulous combination. Not only did she have trouble reading what was written in front of her but on top of that she could barely sit still long enough to attempt to read it anyway. So either way she was screwed.

Another piece of Peanut butter covered sandwich flew through the air and lodged itself in Grover's curls. Persephone growled and stood up, fully intending to give the annoying red-head at the back of the bus a piece of her mind before a hand caught her wrist and tugged her back down into her seat with a surprising amount of strength.

"Don't." Grover muttered glancing towards the teachers at the front of the bus. "You're already on probation. Don't make it worse."

Persephone glared at him. "Hitting her will make me feel better. Death by in-school suspension is a small price to pay."

The scrawny boy smothered a laugh before he stared at his best friend once more. "Pers, you're my best friend and I love you, but I won't let you hit Nancy."

"Damn." The black-haired girl grumbled.

Grover smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a one armed hug. Persephone rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. Her worries about the field trip had returned. Something big was going to happen. And she wasn't sure if it was a good thing.

* * *

They'd been in the Museum for less than four minutes before Nancy had made a biting remark about Persy's absent father, which lead to Grover having to drop his crutches and grab the slim girl around the waist before she tried to claw the red-head's eyes out. If there was one thing that Persephone had always been sensitive about it had been her Father's lack of presence in her life. He'd left her mother she was six months pregnant, he wasn't around to support her Mom through the last months of her pregnancy and even after she was born all she'd had was radio silence. Not one card on her birthday or child support checks in the mail. Nothing. It hurt every single time her mom tried to justify his actions.

_'He loved you more than anything Sepphy, and the hardest thing he ever had to do was leave you.'_

Persephone had never understood her mothers reasoning. If he'd loved them so much, why had he left? You don't leave someone you love. It just doesn't work like that. She sighed loudly as Grover loosened his hold on her waist and hobbled back slightly.

"Are you alright Pers?"

"I'm fine." She shook her head and leant down to grab the crutches off the ground, handing them to Grover as she stood once more.

He accepted them gratefully and looked at her closely. "I'm-" He adjusted his weight on the silver instruments. "I'm sure he lo-"

"I'm sure he did." She stepped back and turned her attention back to the tour, a bitter smile on her lips. "Which is why he left me."

"Miss Jackson? Did you have something to share with the group?"

Persephone stared at the wheelchair bound Latin teacher with an absent expression. "No sir."

Mr. Brunner sighed. "Then perhaps you can tell us what this particular carving represents." He gestured towards the stele with a grand wave of his arm.

The dark-haired girl recognized the carving instantly. How could she not, when her mother had taught her all about Greek Mythology in the form of bedtime stories for as long as she could remember. "It's Kronos. Leader of the Titans." Mr. Brunner prompted her to continue with a small smile. "A prophecy told of him being over thrown by his children and so to stop this from happening he, well, he ate them."

"But?" The Latin professor asked.

Persephone sighed but continued anyway. "His wife, Rhea was horrified at the thought of him eating five of her children-"

Mr. Brunner cut her off. "Can anyone name the five children Kronos consumed?"

Grover smirked and raised his hand, a nod from Mr. Brunner and he answered the question smoothly. "Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades and-" The scrawny boy glanced at his best friend discreetly. "And Poseidon."

"Very good Mr. Underwood! Continue Miss Jackson."

"So when her youngest son Zeus was born, she hid him away and fed Kronos a rock wrapped in swaddling clothes. When Zeus was fully-grown he tricked Kronos into freeing his siblings, which lead to an all out war between the Gods and the Titans." Persephone finished with a relieved sigh.

"And who, prey tell, won this war?" Mr. Brunner asked the group at large, his eyes never leaving the sea-green eyes of Persy.

"The Gods." She answered softly ducking her head effectively breaking his intense stare. The green-eyed girl couldn't understand why he'd invested so much in her. He'd pushed her harder than any teacher she'd ever had. He always called upon her in class and if she so much as got one question wrong he'd give her this disappointed stare that made her feel so incredibly guilty.

So wrapped up in her thoughts she barely noticed that Mrs. Dodds had lead them back out to the front of the Museum for lunch. Sitting on the edge of the large water fountain with her legs crossed and the tips of her fingers dangling in the water she felt a sense of peace that she'd been desperately searching for all day.

"He expects so much from me." Persephone whispered breaking the silence that had settled between her and Grover.

The curly haired boy crunched on his apple, a pensive expression on his face. "I guess it's because he knows you're different. That you're special."

"If one more person gives me the 'you're special' speech I swear to Go-"

"Miss Jackson."

"Mrs. Dodds." Persephone replied sarcastically. Mrs. Dodds had come to Yancy Academy half way through the year after the previous Math's teacher had suffered a nervous break down and ever since then she'd made the life of Persephone, and by association Grover, a living hell.

"Follow me."

Grover stood up shakily. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, but what do you need Persy for?"

The middle-aged woman glared at him. "That is none of your business Mr. Underwood. Now I suggest that you get back to your lunch, and leave disciplinary actions to me. Miss Jackson. Follow me."

Persephone glanced at her friend. "It's fine Grove. I'll see you in a bit."

The black haired girl turned back to Mrs. Dodds and started as she spotted the Leather clad woman at the top of the Museum steps. Her emerald eyes narrowed in suspicion. There was no way that woman had managed to get that far in the seconds that she'd glanced at her best friend. It just wasn't possible, even with the lapses in concentration she had that were caused by her ADHD. She shook her head strongly. Her counselor had said that these things were normal in 'her condition' but once again her Mom's words ran through her mind.

_'If something doesn't look right then it probably isn't, and if something isn't right, always remember that discretion is the better part of Valor and there is a thin line between courage and stupidity.'_

Mrs. Dodds beaconed towards her and unable to stop herself Persephone stepped forward, heading towards the marble steps of the Museum. She glanced back over her shoulder at her best friend and a cold shiver ran down her spine at the panicked expression on his face. As her foot touched the smooth marble of the step she noticed that Mrs. Dodds had disappeared once more. She was now inside the building and for a brief moment the twelve-year old entertained the thought of running in the opposite direction.

As she stepped into the now empty Gallery the evil glare from the woman in front of her made her wish that the thought of running had been more than a fleeting fancy. A low growl caused the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, adrenalin raced through her veins' as she stood stock-still.

"You've been causing us trouble Persephone Jackson." Mrs. Dodds' voice had changed, it was no longer a sickly-sweet simper, but instead a low rasp. A rasp that she had imagined would belong to the Grim Reaper.

The green-eyed girl raised her chin in defiance. "Trouble? What ever are you talking abou-"

"I am not here for games Persephone Jackson!" Her rasp had turned to a screech like nails on a chalkboard. "Nor are _we_ fools!"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you are talking about." Persephone replied strongly. If she could delay Mrs. Dodds long enough for someone, anyone to come into the gallery, then she'd be fine. Right?

"Return the stolen items to me or I will kill you myself!" Mrs. Dodds- if that was even her name- transformed. Her eyes turned to burning embers, black leathery wings sprouted where her leather jacket used to be and razor sharp talons glinted wickedly as she hovered in the air.

"Persephone!"

The slender twelve-year-old tore her eyes off the creature before her and swung around at the sound of Mr. Brunner's furious voice. The wheelchair bound man tossed a hair clip towards her as Mrs. Dodds screeched in rage and dove at the sixth grader who plucked the clip out of the air and threw herself into a forward roll to avoid Mrs. Dodds' razor sharp talons.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with a freaking hair clip?" Persephone yelled angrily. Her substitute Maths teacher was trying to separate her from _all_ of her vital organs and all he could do was chuck a freaking hair clip at her.

"Die honey!"

Persephone jumped to the side as Mrs. Dodds lunged at her once more, one of the creatures' sharp claws struck her cheek, leaving a deep gash across the top of her cheekbone. Her cry of pain echoed through the gallery, ricocheting off the floor and the ceiling alike.

"Twist the flower Persephone!"

Through the haze of pain and adrenalin Persephone vaguely registered the Latin teacher's order. Twisting the flower with a surprising amount of ease she almost dropped it in shock as a sword suddenly materialized in her hand. Mrs. Dodds lunged once more- Persephone raised the sword on pure instinct, impaling her Math's teacher clean through her stomach and with a final screech golden dust rained down around her.

The black haired girl blinked quickly as she suddenly found herself alone in the gallery. No Mrs. Dodds, no Mr. Brunner. Had she just imagined the whole debacle? _Surely not_, she thought desperately, she wasn't crazy, despite what other's had said. Her fist tightened around the object in her hand and looking down she found a bronze hair clip, no longer than twelve centimeters resting in her palm. A large emerald flower with two rows of petals surrounding a sapphire center, with aqua gems littering either side like raindrops. It was beautiful.

A stabbing pain hit her and Persephone experimentally raised her hand to her cheek, hissing as it came away bloody. She hadn't dreamed it then. Mrs. Dodds had really attacked her and Mr. Brunner had seen the entire thing. So, why was she alone?

Reservedly she twisted the flower on the bronze clip and smirked as a sword materialized in its place. Anaklusmos she read her eyes widened as she remembered that name from her mother's bedtime stories, this was the sword wielded by Heracles. How on earth did Mr. Brunner get it? Her mind was racing a mile a minute. Logically what had just happened wasn't possible, but how can you apply logic to the situation when your substitute Math's teacher grew bat wings then exploded into golden dust? Persephone stared down at the bronze sword in her hand and traced the lettering on the hilt softly. To her surprise the sword shrank, and within a second she found herself staring at the hair clip once more.

Making up her mind she used her free hand to pull back a piece of her long hair and using the hair clip, pinned it back off of her face. There was no way she was putting such a dangerous weapon into her pocket where she could so easily lose it. The twelve almost thirteen-year-old steeled her shoulders and strode out of the gallery, down the front steps of the museum and took a seat next to Grover. As she sat down her eyes roamed the courtyard eventually coming to rest on the Latin teacher. Mr. Brunner was reading a novel under his large red umbrella, whilst acting as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. What the hell was going on?

"Gods Persephone!" Grover yelped and grabbed her chin, turning her face towards him so he could get a better look at the deep slash across her left cheek. "What the Hades happened?"

"I-" She stopped suddenly. How exactly could she explain to her best friend that she'd gotten the gash from fighting their substitute Math's teacher who coincidentally had bat wings and could fly? "Mrs. Dodds she-"

"Who?" Grover asked blankly causing Persephone to frown.

"Our substitute Math's teacher." Her eyes widened, as his expression remained blank. "The other Chaperone?" The expression wavered slightly and Persephone's frown deepened. "Older woman, in her fifties, always wore a Leather Jacket?"

Grover laughed weakly. "Pers are you feeling okay? Mrs. Kerr-" He pointed to a Perky blonde woman across the courtyard, "-is the other Chaperone. She's our Math's sub."

"Grover I have never seen her before in my life. I swear on-" Thunder rumbled ominously in the distance causing Persephone to stop and look up wearily. She'd never liked thunderstorms. Mainly because she wasn't overly fond of what followed. Although to her relief no lightning accompanied the rumble and she breathed a bit easier.

The scrawny boy looked skyward cautiously. "Mrs. Kerr has been our Math's teacher since Christmas Pers."

Persephone glared at him. "You're lying."

"A-am not!"

The twelve-year-old growled at the blatant lie from her best friend. She turned away from him angrily and stalked towards Mr. Brunner. He looked up at her with a blank expression, his eyes roaming her face, lingering slightly on her left cheek before narrowing at the sight of the clip in her hair.

"Have you a problem Miss Jackson?" He asked with a benevolent smile.

Persephone stared at him incredulously. "Nope. No problem." She replied, annoyance lacing her biting tone of voice. "However I'd appreciate it if you could tell me what the _hell_ just happened in the Gallery!"

Mr. Brunner actually looked a little thrown at her question. She watched carefully as he schooled his expression into one of polite confusion. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about Miss Jackson. Are you feeling okay?"

"Of course I'm feeling okay you-" She cut herself off before she insulted him, because if she did, it would inevitably result in a detention for her and a disappointed letter from her mother. Talking a calming breath she continued. "My substitute Math's teacher just exploded into freaking _golden_ sand, and all you're acting like nothing happened!"

"Persephone," He started gently, "Mrs. Kerr is-"

"I'm not talking about Mrs. Kerr! I'm talking about Mrs. Dodds!"

"Who?" Mr. Brunner stared at her blankly.

Persephone growled. "About this high-" She gestured with her hand, indicating a height that was slightly taller than herself, "Grey hair, always wore a hideous leather jacket that matched her hideous personality! She was the other Chaperone!"

The Latin teacher sighed. "Miss Jackson, as far as I know there has never been a 'Mrs. Dodds' that taught at Yancy Academy." He peered at her closely. "I'll set up an appointment with the School Councilor when we get back to the Academy. Try to enjoy the rest of the field trip Persephone."

It was a clear dismissal, and it made her blood boil. Both of them were lying. She had no doubt about that. Living in a house with her thrice-damned stepfather she had learned to read people from an early age, it was a a matter of survival for her to do so. She could tell the difference between the truth and a lie. The reason behind why they were lying however, was a mystery she was determined to solve.

* * *

For the rest of the term her sessions with the School Councilor had increased almost ten-fold. Other students looked at her like she had crossed the border from crazy-town and into insanity-land whenever she mentioned Mrs. Dodds, and Grover, Grover had continued to lie to her almost daily. The pitying looks he and Mr. Brunner cast towards her when they thought she wasn't looking made her want to strike the both of them repeatedly and forcefully with a blunt object.

In the few weeks that had passed since the incident at the Museum, she'd almost began to believe that nothing had happened and that Mrs. Dodds had just been a figment of her 'overly stimulated imagination' as the School Councilor had kindly suggested. However the hair clip that she had taken to wearing every day negated that belief. Every night before she went to sleep she'd twist the flower gently and a glowing bronze sword would materialize in her hand. It had helped her to believe that she wasn't going crazy, that she wasn't making up wild and outlandish stories, but that she was actually telling the truth.

Persephone's grades had plummeted, as had her overall mood as the school year drew to a close. She'd slipped from her constant marks of A's and B's to C's and mostly D's, which had not helped her irritable mood whatsoever. And to top it all off, the damn Headmaster had sent her Mom a letter stating that perhaps Persephone would be better suited to a Mental Institution at this stage in her life and would not be invited back to Yancy Academy next year. _Good riddance_, she thought bitterly. She'd never even liked the school in the first place.

The small apartment she shared with her mother on the Upper East Side beaconed. Even if she did have to put up with her thrice-damned step-father and his equally stupid friends, it was better than here where she had to put up with the entire student body staring at her as if she was going to snap at any moment and kill them all with her bare hands.

Persephone threw the textbook she was supposed to be studying across the room and watched fall to the floor with a loud thump grimly. How was she supposed to study Greek Mythology when she could literally feel her life sliding down the metaphorical drain? Hopping off her bed she picked up the book and let it fall open on her desk. Glancing down at it she stared at the brightly coloured page. She almost threw the book across the room once more for the simple fact of the face staring up at her from the page.

_'Persephone, goddess of springtime is a minor goddess, the daughter of Demeter (Goddess of the Harvest) and Zeus (God of the Sky), King of Olympus. She is also the wife of Hades (God of the Dead and Riches), King of the Underworld. Known for her strength, courage and beauty, the Queen of the Underworld is ruthless when dealing with those souls who dare to cross her husband.'_

Slamming the book shut with a frown she rested her head in her hands. The relationships of the Gods was so convoluted and twisted that she had a hard time keeping track of who had sired whom, and who was the God or Goddess of what. Flipping the book open again she stopped at Hera, the only married woman who had managed to stay faithful among the Gods. Although if she hadn't managed to stay faithful, the twelve-year-old wouldn't have blame her one bit. Her husband was a right cheating ass.

Thunder rumbled loudly outside causing her to jump. The weather had steadily gotten worse since the Museum trip, and showed no signs of improving whatsoever. Heck, a tornado had touched down in the Hudson Valley, a mere 50 miles away from the school. The black-haired girl ran her fingers through her hair and pulled out the bronze clip. Holding it in her hands reverently she sighed. She'd gone to return it the other night and had overheard a conversation between Grover and Mr. Brunner, while she hadn't grasped most of what they were saying, the underlying theme was clear. She was in danger and they had no way to help.

* * *

The next afternoon she left the three hour Latin exam with a satisfied smirk on her lips. She'd easily aced the exam, which, she felt, was a nice slap in the face to the Headmaster who was kicking her out of the school since she was 'unsuitable' which she took to mean that he thought she was mentally unstable.

"Miss Jackson?" Mr. Brunner called loudly. "Could I have a word?"

Persephone nodded cautiously not trusting herself to speak without yelling at him for keeping things from her.

"Don't," He sighed wearily. "Don't be discouraged about leaving Yancy, it's… it's for the best."

The black-haired girl's jaw dropped. Although his words were kind, she couldn't believe he was saying them in front of the twelve people who were still finishing the exam. She could feel the smugness coming from the direction of Nancy Bobofit's seat.

"Okay sir." She replied uneasily. She wanted to run. To get out of the room as fast as she could, away from the smug satisfaction from the students that hated her and the pitying glances from her best friend.

"I mean, this-" Mr Brunner looked down as he struggled to find the right words. "This isn't the right place for you. It was only a matter of time."

Persephone's eyes burned with the beginnings of tears. This was her favourite teacher telling her that the Headmaster was right, that she didn't belong here. This was the only man who had ever believed in her, and once again she was being let down. No wonder she had trust issues.

"R-right."

"No, no." He raised his arms as if he wanted to reach towards her but thought better of it at the last minute. "What I mean is that- what I was trying to say is that you're not normal Persephone-"

Persephone laughed bitterly, swiping at the tears that had begun to fall. "Thank you so much Mr. Brunner, for reminding me."

She swung on her heel with grace that would make a ballet dancer green with envy and strode out of the room, ignoring the Latin Professor who was calling her name. She reached her dorm room in seconds and wrenched the door open, racing inside she shoved her meager belongings into a duffle bag, stuffing everything into it until the zipper strained to close. Swinging the bag over her shoulder she left the room quickly and strode to the front of the school.

"Persephone!" Grover called her name loudly as she reached the bottom of the front steps of the school causing her to pause.

"What do you want Grover?"

He stopped breathless at the top of the stairs, his dark skin flushed with exertion. "Where are you going? School doesn't finish for another three days!"

"Home." She replied simply as she turned away from him again.

"Sepphy-"

"Don't call me that!" Persephone yelled angrily causing Grover to step backwards in shock. "Don't you ever call me that!"

"I'm sorry. Look Pers, you can't just leave. Not alone!"

Persephone glared at him. "Watch me." Turning right she walked down the busy street and was annoyed when she heard the tell-tail noise of crutches hitting pavement behind her. "Why are you following me Grover?"

Grover glared at her back. "You're my best friend and this is New York. There is no way I'm letting you go home alone."

She growled quietly. "Why?" She snapped. "Worried about Kindly Ones?"

A loud thump behind her caused her to turn around quickly. She immediately spotted Grover on the ground, crutches splayed out on either side of him, an incredulous expression on his face. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough to realize that I'm in some sort of 'danger' that neither of you think I'm 'mature' enough to handle. Incase you hadn't realized Grove, we're the same damn age!" At his guilty expression she continued mercilessly. "What's the summer-solstice deadline?" Persephone asked loudly. The only thing of consequence to her on the Summer Solstice was her thirteenth birthday.

"Look Pers, it's just that I was worried about you. I mean Demon Teachers and-"

"You're a terrible liar, don't even try." The green-eyed girl snapped.

Grover picked himself up off the pavement and within a few more minutes they had reached the Greyhound station. Persephone walked straight up to the counter and brought herself a ticket on the next available bus to the city, scowling as Grover did the same.

"Why are you still following me?" She hissed, anger getting the better of her. They were in the waiting area, their bus not coming for another ten minutes.

"I'm your protector. It's-" He stopped and pulled out a small business card from his jacket pocket. "Here." He handed the small slip of cardboard to her and watched as she shoved it into her pocket without even reading it. "Just take this. I'm coming with you to the city, no- don't even try to argue with me Pers."

The black-haired girl scowled and crossed her arms across her chest. Huffing angrily she stalked towards the bus that had just pulled into the station and climbed aboard, storing her duffle bag under her seat she flopped into it and glared at Grover as he calmly sat beside her.

It took another half an hour for Persephone to even glance in the direction of her best friend, and another ten minutes after that for her to speak up. "Since you're so adamant about this protection thing, care to tell me what exactly you're protecting me from?"

"I can't. Not yet."

Persephone scowled once more and stared out the window at the passing countryside. Her fingers moved of their own accord and rested against the partially healed gash on her cheek. Not one person had said anything about it. Grover had noticed it at the Museum, but in the end he'd said nothing. She couldn't understand why no one had even questioned her about it. It went deep enough to hit bone, and yet… She sighed. So many things didn't make sense.

The smell of smoke filled the air as the bus shuddered causing her to hit her forehead against the window with a loud smack as the bus rolled to a stop.

"Ow." She muttered as the bus driver announced that the bus had broken down and they'd all have to get off whilst he fixed it. Grover grabbed her arm gently and led her off the bus with little difficultly even as he maneuvered around his crutches.

Looking around at the collective group of disgruntled people her eyes widened as they locked onto a large stall that no body else seemed to notice. Three identical, withered elderly ladies sat happily in their identical rocking chairs as they collectively knitted a large sweater of some kind. One elderly woman spun the thread, another weaved it with ease and the last held a large pair of black scissors. Persephone watched them transfixed as a passage from her Greek Mythology textbook swam in her vision.

_'The Fates have the subtle but awesome power of choosing the path of which a person lives their life. Their power pre-dates the Gods, these three women are believed to be the daughters of Nyx, one of the oldest Primodials and daughter of Chaos. Clotho, the spinner, who spins the thread of life, Lachesis, who measures the length of each strand, and Atropos, the cutter, the decider of the time of death.'_

Persephone stumbled in shock as she watched them. The third woman- Atropos raised the black shears with a grim expression, her eyes locking with Persy's and snipped the thread. For a moment time stopped as their eyes locked and for a split second she found herself in a misty void, surrounded by at least a dozen, maybe more thirty foot tall figures, their faces cloaked in the mist that surrounded them. She stood in front of three women, all dressed in flowing white gowns, all equally beautiful, ethereal even as they stared at her. The circle of thirty-foot figures had not just surrounded her, she realized, but the women in front of her.

_Well met, Persephone Jackson._ Three melodic voices spoke as one in her mind. Her fingers rose to touch the bronze hair clip. _We are not here to harm you dear child, only to help._

"Who are you?" Persephone whispered. Staring at the three women in white. "W-who are they?"

_You know who we are, child._ The middle woman spoke with soft authority. _As for those that surround and protect us, that is not our story to tell._

"You're the Fates. Clotho – Birth, Lachesis – Life and," Persephone paused as her eyes rested on the middle Fate. "You're Atropos – Death." Her eyes wandered upwards attempting to lock on to a face, any face of one of the misty figures standing over her. It was almost like looking through a pair of glasses when you had 20/20 vision, their faces and bodies remained just out of focus. She sucked in a startled breath as she realized exactly where she was and who they were. "Primordials. This is the void."

The Fates smiled as one. _You are strong child, but you cannot face your destiny alone. You know who we are, and what our role in the lives of mortals is. Your role, Persephone Jackson, is as important as ours. Only you, dear child, can change the path that we have set._

"My destiny?" Persephone asked in disbelief. "I can't change Fate. No one can change the path that you have set-"

_Our time is short dear one._ The Fates spoke together once more. _Be careful who you trust, there are many who are not as they seem. Your Mother has guided you thus far, but in time she will be out of your reach. Trust in your father-_

"My Father?" The green-eyed girl cried incredulously. "What do you mean that Mom will be out of my reach?"

_Yes young one._ The middle Fate spoke alone. _Trust in your abilities, in your instincts for they will not lead you wrong. It is time to go Persephone Jackson. We wish you good luck._

"Wait!" The small girl cried. "You didn't answer my question! What will happen to my Mother?"

The middle Fate – Atropos – stepped forward, and now that she was closer Persephone could see the deadly black sheers strapped to her side. _If you need us,_ Atropos placed a delicate woven black leather bracelet that wrapped around silver double infinity charm on her wrist. _We will know. Good luck dear one. We will be with you._

Persephone snapped back to reality as Grover shook her shoulder gently. "Pers? You still with me?"

"I- yes." The black-haired girl looked around frantically for the three elderly women and wasn't entirely surprised to find them gone.

"Were they looking at you?"

Persephone swung back around to face the somewhat panicked expression of Grover. "What?"

The crippled boy held her shoulders tightly. "Did you see them snip the cord?" At her blank expression he shook her slightly. "Persephone! Did you see them?"

"Y-yes. I saw them." She rubbed her wrist slightly as she felt the weight that had settled there in the form of her bracelet. There was a deeper meaning to the cord that Atropos had handed to her while they were in the void and her instincts were telling there that it was a secret to be protected, along with her life.

Grover cried out quietly as his eyes filled with tears. "_Di immortales_. It's always the sixth grade." He let her go softly before thinking better of it and grabbed her into a tight hug. "It's always the freaking sixth grade. This can't be like last time."

"Grove." Persephone mumbled, her hands shaking slightly as she was pressed against his chest. "You're scaring me."

The bus driver yelled in triumph as he fixed the bus and with a smile he directed everyone back to their seats. Grover let her go and dragged her to the bus quickly. Persephone asked the next question in a quite voice, dreading the answer.

"Grover, the cutting of that string- does- does that mean I'm going to die?"

The scrawny boy didn't respond, but he didn't need to. Persephone had gotten her answer.

* * *

Persephone had ditched her best friend as soon as they had arrived in the city. It was nearing 6pm and after the incident with the Fates, well, she wanted to get home as soon as she possibly could. Grabbing the closest taxi she could find she hopped into the backseat with her duffle bag at her side and gave the cabbie directions to the apartment where she lived.

As they pulled away from the station she saw Grover frantically searching for her, their eyes locked as she stared at him guiltily from the cab's back window. Fifteen minutes and an expensive cab fare later she was staring at the front door of her home. Hearing the loud voices inside she sighed. Gabe was having one of his poker tournaments. _Great_, she thought bitterly, _just what I wanted to come home to._

Digging in her pocket for her key she pushed the door open. Her first sight was of the full kitchen table, surrounded by Gabe's equally stupid friends as they played a round of Poker.

"Well lookie who it is!" Gabe yelled drunkenly. "Oi! Sally! Your brat is home early!"

Persephone glared at him disgust marring her features. Her face shifted rapidly as her mother came around the corner. Sally looked almost identical to her daughter, except for the eyes. Her eyes were a deep blue, and sometimes to the wonderment of Persephone they turned violet. Sally raced towards her daughter and wrapped her in a tight embrace.

"Oh Sepphy. I missed you so much sweetheart!"

Persephone melted into her mother's warm arms, breathing in her familiar, comforting scent and smiled. "Mom."

Sally led her daughter to her bedroom and sat her down on the edge of the bed. "What are you doing home? Term doesn't end for another few days." The older woman stared at her daughter, eyes turning violet as they went in and out of focus. "Persephone Jackson! What on earth did you do to your cheek?"

The green-eyed girl smiled slightly. Her mom had always noticed things that other, more ordinary people missed. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Sally leaned forward inspecting the gash closely. "Seph, this is deep enough to have reached bone. I don't care how unbelievable it is, you will tell me what happened and you will tell me right now."

Persephone, realizing the dangerous tone in her mom's voice complied and told her everything that happened at the museum, the conversation she'd overheard between Grover and Mr. Brunner and lastly what had happened with the Fates. As she described the meeting with the three women of legend, at the end of the story she showed her the black bracelet. Persephone had watched in undisguised awe as her mom's eyes had almost glowed violet. Sally stood up, grasping her daughter's hands tightly.

"We're going to Montauk. Tonight. Don't unpack Sepphy. I'll be right back."

The twelve-year-old leant back on the bed, trying to process what on earth had just happened. She could easily hear the raised voices of her mom and Gabe in the kitchen. Ten minutes later Sally strolled back into the room with a smug smile on her face as she dangled a shiny key ring from her fingers. How on earth she'd convinced Gabe to lend her his most prized possession, his '78 Camaro she had no idea. But there was no way she was going to complain, especially as it meant they'd be going to Montauk sooner rather than later.

As they drove closer to the sea, closer to their little rental shack, she could visibly see the changes in her mom's face. Sally seemed to be aging backwards as years of worry and work leaving her as her eyes turned to the deepest blue of the water they were driving towards. When they reached the Cabin it was still daylight, so after opening it up to air it out the two Jackson women took a walk on the beach, hand in hand, munching on the blue candy Sally had brought with her from the shop.

Later as they roasted marshmallows over an open fire, Persephone noticed that her Mom's expression was gradually getting sadder. "Mom?" She questioned softly. "What's wrong?"

"I've been so selfish keeping you close to me." Sally started softly. "They told me that it would be a mistake if I did so, that it would be dangerous, and they were right."

"They?" Persephone hedged, remembering the Fate's warning. "Who's they?"

Sally shook her head and raised her hand, playing with something she wore around her neck. For as long as she could remember whenever her mother was angry, or nervous, or happy, or scared she'd raised her hand to her chest and held onto something she kept hidden beneath her shirt. Persephone's eyes narrowed as she spotted a woven black cord.

"I've put you in danger Sepphy. If I'd just listened to your father-"

"My father? What has he got to do with this?" Persephone asked angrily.

Sally sighed and grasped her daughter's hand tightly. "He has everything to do with this sweetheart. We were only together for one summer. Right here in this cabin. But we loved each other deeply." Persephone sat stiffly as her mother tried to explain. Sally's eyes misted over as she continued. "He was tall, handsome, powerful. You look so much like him. You have his eyes. Beautiful green eyes like the ocean."

The twelve-year-old shook her head. "I don't care if I've got his eyes, or his hair or if he was handsome or powerful! He left us Mom! So why is he still effecting our lives? Huh? I don't want to look like someone who abandoned me before I could even open my eyes!"

"Sepphy-"

"No Mom! It's not fair!"

Sally wrapped her arms around her daughter tightly. "He didn't leave because he wanted to Sepphy, he left because he had to. He had duties that he couldn't abandon. No matter how much he loved us." The older woman sighed. "He wanted the best possible life for you. And you couldn't have that while he was around. One of his dearest wishes was for you to go to a camp, it's not far from here, and you only have to go for the summer you don't have to stay there all year if you don't want to."

"Summer camp?" Persephone laughed bitterly. "He couldn't manage to stick around for six months but you talked about summer camps? Oh that is rich."

The elder Jackson didn't respond, instead she stared into the fire, a heartbroken expression on her face. Persephone sighed. It was going to be a long weekend.

* * *

The black haired girl was awoken from her vivid nightmare violently. In her sleep she must have moved around an awful lot because she'd managed to knock the lamp off of the bedside table and onto the floor. Outside she could hear a storm raging, rain and wind pelted the outside of the cabin but to her shock there was still no lightning turning the sky white through the storm.

A loud banging sound coming from the front door caused her to sit upright in confusion. She could hear a loud voice begging someone to open the door. She watched as her Mom run to the door in her nightgown and wrench it open.

There standing on the stoop was the best friend she'd ditched at the Greyhound station. Except it wasn't Grover. Not really – at least.

"I've been searching all night." He cried desperately as he stepped inside. "What the Hades were you thinking? Running off like that!"

"Persephone! Get your things!" Sally yelled loudly as her now violet eyes locked with the startled green ones of her daughter.

"We need to go!" Grover yelled glancing behind him in terror.

"Both of you, in the car! Now!"

Persephone grabbed her bag quickly. She hadn't bothered to unpack it, and now she was glad she hadn't. Swinging it over her shoulder she ran out to the car, rain pelting her bare shoulders. The crop top and shorts had seemed like a good idea at the time when she'd put them on before she went to bed. She hadn't exactly expected to be running through the rain.

Grover and her Mom jumped into the car behind her, Sally revving the engine as soon as she jumped into the drivers seat. Grabbing a pair of shoes out of her bag she wrenched them onto her feet and glanced at the still form of her best friend in the backseat.

"You're a freaking Satyr!"

Sally made a hard left past a sign that said something about strawberries and accelerated.

"Yes I am, we can talk about it later."

Persephone's eyes narrowed, but she left the conversation alone for now. Her body was swung to the side as her Mom swerved around something in the middle of the road. "What the hell was that?!" The younger girl yelled.

"We're almost there. Just another mile." Sally responded loudly ignoring her daughter's question.

The green-eyed girl raised her hand to the clip in her hair and grabbed it as with a jaw-rattling boom the car was air born. Her head smashed into the passenger side window, as her body felt like it was weightless, crushed, and burned all at the same time.

"Ow." She mumbled rubbing her head with her free hand. The other was still clenched around the bronze clip she'd pulled from her hair.

In a daze she glanced around. They were upside down in a ditch, held in their seats by the seatbelts they'd hastily put on. Grover groaned from the backseat before his eyes narrowed at something in the distance.

"Out!" He yelled. "We've got to get out now!"

Sally threw herself against the door only to find it stuck. Persephone tried hers and to her relief it creaked open.

"We need to get to that Pine Tree!" Grover shouted.

"Persephone I need you to run as fast as you can do you hear me?" Persephone nodded at the frightened voice of her mother.

"Why do you sound like you're not coming with us?" The twelve year old cried, tears coming to her eyes at the thought of leaving her mother behind.

Sally touched her cheek softly. "Because I'm not." Her daughter's tears began to fall. "I can't cross the property line." She kissed her forehead softly. "I love you so much my little miracle. Always remember that. No matter what happens Persephone, I will _always_ be with you." She turned to Grover. "You get her out of here. You understand me? Protect her like I know you can."

Grover pulled Persephone out of the car and grasped her hand tightly. "I'll protect her." The two teens made a run for the tree at the top of the hill. A furious roar behind them caused the green-eyed girl to turn around her heart breaking as she saw her mother in the Monster's grip.

"Mom!" She screamed desperately. The monster squeezed tightly and then with a violet flash she was gone. Disappeared. Her mother was out of her reach. Gone. Just like her Father. Her deep feelings of abandonment bubbled inside of her as like the mist after a heavy rain, rage descended over her. Persephone attempted to charge at the monster but Grover's surprisingly strong arms held her tightly around the waist.

"Persephone stop!" He yelled. "Stop! There's nothing we can do. Come on!" He yelled as the monster charged towards them. "We have to get inside the boundary line!"

As the monster charged time seemed to slow for the black haired girl. She remembered this monster from Latin Class. A Minotaur. Strengths – Fast, strong. Weaknesses – Can't turn very quickly, notoriously stupid. Twisting the flower on the bronze clip with ease the now familiar weight of Anaklusmos materialized in her hand.

"At my count jump to the side." Persephone ordered her best friend. "One." The Minotaur was fifty feet closer. "Two." Twenty feet. "Three." Ten feet. "Now!" She yelled jumping to left as Grover jumped to the right. The Minotaur sailed past them and skidded to a stop in front of teens. With a roar it turned around and locked on Grover. It charged at him, Grover was too slow to move and the Minotaur flung him over his head breaking the Satyr's leg as he did. As he flew through the air Grover twisted and grasped one of the horns with his hand. With an echoing snap it broke free of the bull/man as the Satyr landed on his broken leg with a cry.

The enraged creature turned around bypassing the crumpled form of Grover and locked onto Persephone. The black haired girl smirked viciously as it charged and stepped to the side at the last moment. The Minotaur, learning from it's previous mistake flung it's arm out and sent the twelve-year old crashing into a tree.

Grover flinched as he heard the tell tale crunching of bones as she slid down the tree. He watched in horror as Persephone staggered to her feet sword raised limply as her other hand clutched at her bleeding torso. Getting thrown into a tree when you barely have any clothes on is not a good idea. The Minotaur charged again and with a last cry of effort, Persephone slashed at the monster turning it to dust as she crumpled to the ground unconscious.

The low level Satyr staggered to his feet hissing in pain as he put his weight on the broken leg. His face was bloody and torn from the shattered glass in the car, but still he'd come out better than Persephone. Picking up the Minotaur Horn he hobbled towards his best friend, flinching as he took in the deep gashes all over her upper body and back. He struggled to pick her up into his arms, but one he did he held her tightly as he hobbled over the barrier.

"Thank you Thalia." He whispered softly as he passed the tall Pine Tree that stood protectively over the camp. As he crossed into familiar territory he immediately spotted the cropped blonde hair of one of his oldest friends as he patrolled the camp. "Luke!" He yelled shakily.

The nineteen-year olds eyes widened dramatically as he spotted the limp form in his arms. His loud shout of Chiron as he sprinted towards the pair caused panicked and sleepy campers to come staggering out of their cabins from all directions. Luke, spotting Grover's broken leg instantly pulled the unconscious girl from his arms as he collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion. His eyes narrowed as they locked onto the horn in his hand. Deciding not to ask questions he gestured to one of the more alert gathered campers to help Grover as he walked towards the Big House, trying not to hurt the unconscious girl.

The tall blonde stared down at the beautiful girl in his arms curiosity dancing in his blue eyes. She was beautiful, long black hair that would have reached the small of her back, delicate features and he cursed himself for noticing, quite a nice body. The girl couldn't be any older than fourteen. Luke's steady steps faltered slightly as he remembered the warning he'd received about a new camper, in his dreams, not a few days before. But as he looked down at the beautiful girl in his arms he shook his head slightly. There was no way this bloody slip of a girl could be the one he was warned about. Right?

* * *

**AN: Well my Percy Jackson friends. What do you think for my first attempt at a PJO fic? Be gentle? Read/Review.**


	2. A New Home

**AN: First thing I'd like to mention is that I'm an Australian, so if there are things that aren't 'Americanized' I'll apologize. A lot of this story will be taken from the book, as I am trying to follow 'The Lightning Thief' quite closely, even though I am adding and changing quite a lot of it. So much for Exam Prep, I've found a new form of procrastination in the form of this story. Oh Gods, I'm such a terrible college student!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything associated with Percy Jackson and the Olympians as everything belongs to Mr. Rick Riordan. I'm just playing in his sandbox whilst he writes his next book. Persephone however, is partially mine.**

* * *

**Downfall**

**Chapter Two**

**A New Home**

* * *

_Previously:  
_

_The low level Satyr staggered to his feet hissing in pain as he put his weight on the broken leg. His face was bloody and torn from the shattered glass in the car, but still he'd come out better than Persephone. Picking up the Minotaur Horn he hobbled towards his best friend, flinching as he took in the deep gashes all over her upper body and back. He struggled to pick her up into his arms, but one he did he held her tightly as he hobbled over the barrier._

_"Thank you Thalia." He whispered softly as he passed the tall Pine Tree that stood protectively over the camp. As he crossed into familiar territory he immediately spotted the cropped blonde hair of one of his oldest friends as he patrolled the camp. "Luke!" He yelled shakily._

_The nineteen-year olds eyes widened dramatically as he spotted the limp form in his arms. His loud shout of Chiron as he sprinted towards the pair caused panicked and sleepy campers to come staggering out of their cabins from all directions. Luke, spotting Grover's broken leg instantly pulled the unconscious girl from his arms as he collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion. His eyes narrowed as they locked onto the horn in his hand. Deciding not to ask questions he gestured to one of the more alert gathered campers to help Grover as he walked towards the Big House, trying not to hurt the unconscious girl._

_The tall blonde stared down at the beautiful girl in his arms curiosity dancing in his blue eyes. She was beautiful, long black hair that would have reached the small of her back, delicate features and he cursed himself for noticing, quite a nice body. The girl couldn't be any older than fourteen. Luke's steady steps faltered slightly as he remembered the warning he'd received about a new camper, in his dreams, not a few days before. But as he looked down at the beautiful girl in his arms he shook his head slightly. There was no way this bloody slip of a girl could be the one he was warned about. Right?_

* * *

The first time she woke it was due to the sensation of being in another's arms. The soft thuds of feet hitting the slight springiness of the grass covered ground and the rocking motion that reminded her of floating in the ocean left her calm in ways the sea never could. Her green eyes fluttered open, her vision hazy due to the tears of pain in her eyes. Staring up at her saviour's crystal blue orbs her breath hitched as she remembered the similar colour of her mother's.

"I-I'm so-rry mom. I'm s-so sor-ry." Persephone hiccupped as the pain overwhelmed her once more sending her back into the realms of unconsciousness.

* * *

The second time she woke it was to the same eyes. Her saviour brushed away the sweaty tendrils of black hair from her forehead and gently pressed a spoon to her lips.

She sipped it obediently, the taste of her mom's apple crumble that she always used to smother in cream hitting her taste buds immediately.

"Wha-"

A thin finger closed her mouth softly and a smooth tenor voice filled her ears. "Sleep Beauty. I'll answer your questions when you're stronger."

Beauty? Persephone's mind processed the whispered words sluggishly. "Pro-mi-se." Her voice was raspy from lack of use.

Her savior nodded. "I promise."

* * *

The third time she woke it was to an argument. The burning pain in her side had dulled to a soft ache but her head was throbbing and the biting words being exchanged on the other side of the room weren't helping her situation.

"Why are you so obsessed with this damn girl?" The female voice hissed. Persephone stiffened at the bitterness in the girl's voice.

"I'm not obsessed with her Annie! She's my responsibility! I promised Grover. I promised him I'd look after her."

"Bullshit you did Luke! You promised her!" Persephone didn't need her eyes open to know that whoever the girl was, she was glaring at her.

"What the hell is your problem Annabeth? You don't even know her!"

"Neither do you!"

Persephone could hear the labored breathing of the girl- Annabeth- her mind supplied sluggishly.

"So why do you care?" The same voice spoke once more, this time she spoke quietly, and Persephone wondered if the words hurt the girl, even as she spoke them.

"Annie..."

"Why Luke? Why does she matter to you so much?"

"It's complicated."

The girl laughed shrilly. "Complicated! Tell me Castellan, what about her is so damn complicated?"

"It's got nothing to do with her _Annabeth_," Persephone could hear her saviour stress the first name of the girl, vaguely she wondered how close they actually were, and how much it must have hurt him for the girl to use his last name. "And everything to do with you."

"Excuse me?"

"You're the one with the problem! Ever since Grover brought her over the damn boundary line you've hated everything about her! Simply because she's alive!"

Persephone heard the girl growl in frustration. "So?"

"She's not Thalia! The sooner you realize that the better!"

"How dare you bring her into this!"

Persephone could feel the rage in the air, a thick suffocating rage that pressed down on her chest, making it hard to breathe. "I was in love with her!" The green-eyed girl heard the gasp of shock from the other girl loud and clear. "I have every right Annabeth! Every right!"

"Luke-"

"Don't. Just go."

"Luke-"

"Leave Annabeth!"

The black-haired girl heard the girl– Annabeth– sigh angrily and stomp out of the room. Persephone kept her eyes shut tightly as she heard her saviour- Luke- slump down in the chair she assumed was beside her bed. She wasn't sure if it was a good idea to open her eyes, to let him know that she'd heard everything, even though the pair had been yelling, she doubted they'd meant for someone to overhear.

"I know you're awake Beauty. I've known the whole time."

Persephone opened her eyes, flinching as the bright light blinded her. Blinking quickly her eyes adjusted to the room around her, her green-eyes roamed the room eventually settling on a blue-eyed blonde haired teen sitting at her bedside. Her eyes flicked over his body quickly taking in his muscles that were well defined and despite the fact that they were covered in glaring orange t-shirt she could still see them clearly. A blush heated her cheeks as she realized he was staring _way to go Persephone _she thought wryly, _that's a great conscious first impression._

"What's your name?" Luke asked softly.

"Per-" She coughed her voice came out as a rasp, her throat dry from lack of use. Luke's eyes widen and he pressed a glass of water to her lips. Taking a small sip she stared at him thankfully before replying. "Per-sepho-ne."

The blonde boy grinned. "Named after the Goddess of the Springtime. It's fitting."

The green-eyed girl fought to control her blush. "Where's Gr-ove-r?"

"Safe. His leg has completely healed. He's currently in a meeting with Mr. D, and Chiron, they're quite impressed with your joint effort to slay the Minotaur." Luke responded quietly, if he was honest with himself he was more than jealous that Grover and the small girl before him had managed to do what every camper trained for. Shaking his head he leant forward, pulling the thin sheet down so he could check the wounds on Persephone's torso. Each was fully healed, although she now had a thick purple scar that in essence matched his own from Landon, protector of Hera's Garden. The only difference being, that hers stretched diagonally from her left hip to just below her ribs on her right side instead of across her face.

"I've go-t a sc-ar." The green-eyed girl spoke slowly, each word hurting her raw throat as she looked down at her body.

The blue-eyed boy nodded. "You do."

Persephone sat up slowly, every movement disjointed and separate as she struggled to command her body to obey her will. Luke leant forward once more and helped her into a sitting position. "My Mom-" She swallowed slightly before continuing her voice scratchy. "My Mom once- told me that- a-all the best h-heroes have scars and i-it's those s-cars, not the qu-ests they wen-t on, that make them great."

Luke's hand, unbidden, made it's way to his face and traced his own scar softly. "Your Mom sounds like a wise woman Persephone." He grasped her hand tightly and placed a glass of water into the other. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry for what happened to her."

"It's not worth much." Persephone snapped before looking down guiltily. " I'm sorry. That was completely uncalled for." The blonde nodded in understanding the silence between them lingered. "It's my fault she's dead."

"Don't say that." Luke snapped. "The moment you start blaming yourself is the minute you start believing it. I will not let that happen to you."

"You don't even know me."

"Doesn't matter." The blonde shook his head, his shoulders tensing as he glanced down at their intertwined hands. "I spent three years blaming myself for the death of someone I loved and it very nearly destroyed me. I won't let that happen to anyone else." Luke glanced up quickly before pulling his hand away. He was getting too close. "Do you think you're up to meeting Mr. D and Chiron?"

Persephone nodded. She wasn't sure if she could trust her voice to stay steady if she spoke. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood quickly. A wave of nausea hit her and she pitched forward stumbling right into Luke's waiting arms.

"We've got to stop meeting like this." Luke smirked as he held her upright. He'd partially been expecting something like that to happen, the girl didn't seem to even register her own injuries.

The black-haired girl grinned weakly. "Oh, I don't know, I've rather enjoyed it."

The blonde's eyes widened almost imperceptibly as Persephone stared up at him. Apparently he hadn't been expecting that sort of response from her.

"Come on Beauty, I'll take you to Chiron." He glanced down at her quickly taking in her pajama shorts and crop top. "Perhaps we should get you some clothes first."

Persephone glanced down and blushed. "This is all I have." Her fists clenched. "My bag was in the car."

The son of Hermes nodded. "I figured as much. What size are you?"

"Excuse me?"

"T-shirt? What size?" Luke asked as he let her go and turned to a large wardrobe. Persephone glanced around his back and her jaw dropped to find it stocked to the brim with bright orange t-shirts.

"I'm a ten." He pulled a small shirt out and handed it to her. In one smooth motion she slipped it over her head and smiled as it fit perfectly. Luke handed her a pair of denim shorts and pointedly turned his back on her. "Seriously? You want me to change when you're just standing there?"

"First of all I can't actually see you and secondly do you actually want to walk around camp in your pajamas?"

Seeing he had a point the green-eyed girl grumbled and changed quickly. The shorts fit loosely, so she tucked the front of the orange t-shirt into them and grabbed her shoes from the end of the bed. Shoving her feet into them she stepped forward and tapped the boy in front of her on the shoulder.

Luke smirked at her new appearance. "The camp look suits you Beauty."

"Why do you call me that?" Persephone asked softly curiosity burning in her veins.

The blue-eyed boy handed her a cup that was filled to the brim with a shimmering gold liquid. "Drink."

She chugged it quickly, revelling in the taste. "You didn't answer my question."

"I'm not going to."

* * *

Grover sat at the end of a large table with his hands clasped tightly in front of him, the Minotaur horn was in a holster on his left hip and his pipe reeds on his left. He glanced around the table uneasily. Mr. D was alternately shuffling cards and glaring at the diet coke filled wine glass beside him whilst Chiron shifted anxiously in his wheel chair. However it was the sour expression on Annabeth's face that worried him the most.

Ever since he'd dragged Persephone across Thalia's borderline she'd gone out of her way to avoid him. And when she wasn't doing that, the glares she sent in his direction were enough to freeze his blood in his veins. He rested his head in his hands, everything was changing, as a Satyr he could feel it, something big was going to happen and as much as he feared to say it out loud– it was all connected to Persephone.

A loud cough made him look up. The sight that greeted him was enough for him to shoot out of his chair and leap towards the two new arrivals. Grover engulfed his best friend in his arms, holding her as tight as he dared with her recently healed injuries.

"Pers." He whispered into her hair. "I'm so glad you're alright."

Persephone returned the hug stiffly, as much as she loved seeing Grover, as much as she was thankful that he was alive, he wasn't her mom. "Me too. How's the leg?" She whispered into his shoulder.

"Not broken." Grover laughed shakily. His eyes wandered towards Luke and widened slightly at the boy's stony face. For a moment he wondered what had happened between the two. "Um, Mr. D wants to meet you, he's technically the Camp Director. Be polite, he's uh- a little grumpy."

"That's encouraging." The green-eyed girl muttered as she clutched the blanket Luke had given her before they left the makeshift infirmary tighter around her shoulders. Grover wrapped an arm around her waist and directed her towards the table. She could sense the blue-eyed boy follow behind her, knowing he was there, right behind her, was oddly comforting.

"Mr. D? Chiron? This is Persephone Jackson." The Satyr introduced her to the two men at the table.

Persephone stared at the man sitting across the table from her for a moment before slumping into a chair at the opposite end of the table. "Mr. Brunner?"

Mr. Brunner- Chiron stared at her guiltily. "I'm glad you got here safely child." He dropped his gaze. "For what it's worth Persephone, I'm sorry for what happened to your mother."

The black-haired girl clenched her fists tightly in the blanket. "Like I said earlier." She pointedly glanced at Luke. "It's not worth much."

A deep laugh resonated around the table. Persephone found herself staring at an older man in a Hawaiian shirt with hair that was the same deep purple as wine. "Welcome to Camp Half-Blood Miss Jackson. I have a feeling that you're going to be a breath of fresh air."

The green-eyed girl didn't respond, instead she tucked her feet beneath her in the chair and turned her gaze to her surroundings. It was beautiful. Crystal blue water stretched for miles into the distance on this side of the house- the Long Island Sound. Her attention switched from the water to the green grass- to the large open air Greek Pavilion that was filled with tables. Peals of laugher met her ears as she watched children and Satyrs of all ages in orange t-shirts play with their friends, as though nothing had happened.

Her life had been shattered. She'd lost her mother. Lost her mother to a monster that had come after her, purely because of who her father was. A fact that was _still_ a mystery to her. In her mind time had stopped- and yet, for them, it was just another day. It didn't seem right. It didn't seem fair that she could lose someone so precious to her, someone who had been completely innocent, simply because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Their whispered apologies and platitudes meant nothing to her. All she wanted was her mom.

A hand on her arm brought her out of her thoughts. Luke stared down at her, a glimmer of worry in his eyes for a moment before it was covered up with the same mask he'd been wearing when she questioned him about the nickname and when he talked about the girl he'd loved. Thalia.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded. "I'm fine. Lost in thought. That's all."

"Persephone, this is Annabeth." Chiron waved a hand at the blonde at the other end of the table. She was pretty. Shining blonde hair that fell in ringlets to her shoulders, and grey eyes that seemed to flash as she glared daggers and the green-eyed girl. "She'll be your guide around the camp-"

Annabeth snorted. "She's going to Cabin Eleven Chiron. She's _undetermined_." Persephone stiffened at the last word. The way the girl said it made it sound like an insult and from the disconcerted expression on Luke's face- he thought so too. "Make Luke do it."

"When did you become such an ungrateful brat?" Grover asked loudly ignoring the shocked expressions of the other occupants of the table. He'd spent a year at Yancy Academy with Persephone at his side. He was done being scared. He was done standing by, as people he cared about got hurt. He'd almost lost his best friend not three nights ago, simply because he wasn't strong enough to protect her. He'd lost Thalia because he was weak. It was time to embrace the changing nature of his world. "Just because you're lucky enough to have an Olympian for a mother doesn't mean you can look down at the unclaimed. You were one once too."

Annabeth pushed back from the table he chair clattering to the floor loudly as she stormed away from the Big House.

"Annabeth!" Chiron yelled after her. The blonde refused to turn around instead she kept walking straight towards the twelve cabins in the distance.

"It's fine Chiron. I'll take her." Luke replied as Mr. D dealt them all cards.

"So Pallas-" Mr. D started.

"Persephone."

"Excuse me?"

"My name is Persephone. Not Pallas."

Mr. D stared at her his eyes flashing violet for a moment before they turned back to the colour of wine. "Hmm. Pallas would have been more fitting."

The green-eyed girl restrained a shiver at the sight of the momentary flash of violet in his eyes. Her Mom's eyes used to turn that colour.

"Persephone, what did your mom tell you about this place?" Chiron asked gently.

"What do you think Mr. Brunner? What do you think she told me? Nothing. That's what."

"And that's how you kids get killed." Mr. D muttered.

Chiron pointedly ignored his comment. "Do you remember what I taught you in class? Did you believe it?"

"Believe you?" Persephone laughed, "The last time I asked _you_ to believe me Mr. Brunner, you got me locked up with the school councilor, who in turn, got me kicked out of Yancy Academy. So forgive me for not trusting your word now."

"I understand your anger Persephone," Chiron started nervously, "But I ask you to look past that anger and look around you. You have seen with your own eyes that Grover is a Satyr. You have fought and killed two monsters- the Greek Gods are alive and well. My true name young one is Chiron."

The green-eyed girl stared at him stonily. After all that had happened in the past few weeks, it wasn't that hard for her to believe. She'd met the Fates- heck she'd talked to them in the Void, surrounded by Primordials! Believing that the Greek Gods were alive wasn't that much of a leap. "Mr. D? Short for Dionysus?"

The man with the Hawaiian shirt nodded, a large smirk on his face. "In all my time at this stupid Camp, only two other people have figured it out that quickly and both of them were my sons. Pollux and Castor."

"How are they here? The Gods? This is not ancient Greece." Persephone asked, her stony mask refusing to slip as Chiron sat across from her.

"Gods' move with the West Pers. What mortals call the Western Civilization. They are tied to it so tightly, that whatever country holds the heart of the civilization, whatever country that is the most powerful, the Gods' will move with it." Grover spoke up, knowing that Persephone would be more likely to accept his explanation at the moment.

"A collective consciousness. We started in Greece yes, but over the time we went to Rome, changed our names and customs to become something different yet similar that they worshiped. We were in Germany, France, Spain, England, wherever the flame of belief burned brightest. Olympus is here. America is our new home."

Persephone eyed him shrewdly. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but Greece coexisted with Rome for years, you claim that the Greek Gods are here, and that this is a Camp for Greek Demigods, so what of Rome?"

To Chiron's credit, he only stiffened at Persephone's question. "There was a war, almost two centuries ago and the Gods thought that it would be best-"

"That's enough Chiron." Mr. D spoke with an authority that the green-eyed girl hadn't been expecting from him. "It is forbidden to speak of, and you would do well to remember as such. Miss Jackson, Mr. Castellan will give you a tour of the Camp, I need to speak to Grover and Chiron alone."

Luke offered his hand to Persephone, fully understanding that any good mood that Mr. D had, had been lost in a simple question from the younger girl. He smirked as he held out his hand. "You heard the Director Miss Jackson, would you like a tour?"

Persephone nodded and slipped her hand into his. For a moment a soft breeze brushed against her cheek, a gentle caress that was accompanied with a soft giggle in her ears as she held his hand. He led her away from the house, not letting her go for a second as he took them past the volleyball court. The campers stopped and stared at her as the pair walked by and curious whispers followed them as they left.

Glancing over her shoulder her eyes widened as she saw the cloaked figure in the attic of the Big House. She stumbled slightly as she blinked at the figure was gone. Her grip on the blonde tightened. "Luke, w-what's in the attic?"

His blue eyes flashed dangerously. "Nothing good."

Once again the tone in his voice stopped her from asking any more questions. She stood in silence for a moment before Luke shook her out of her stupor with a small squeeze of her hand.

* * *

Luke led the younger girl through the camp, not once letting go of her hand. He showed her the amphitheater, the forges, the stables, the woods and the lake. And yet throughout the whole tour he couldn't bring himself to let go of her hand. He'd been warned, warned about a new camper that would be the end of everything he had worked for since he was seventeen.

And yet, he'd completely disregarded his orders when he offered to be the one to care for her in the infirmary. One split-second decision to take a bleeding girl from Grover's arms had sent his perfectly ordered world-view spiraling and the thing that made everything worse was that he was enjoying it. For the first time since Thalia had died he was _enjoying_ the company of someone else.

"Only twelve?" Luke's head snapped towards the girl at his side. He'd given so many kids this same tour but he'd never been asked that question. It had completely thrown him.

"What? I mean, what do you mean?" He couldn't seem to get the words out, but the green-eyed girl beside him didn't seem to notice.

Persephone sighed, in anger or confusion he wasn't sure, but she answered his question smoothly. "What I mean is why are there only _twelve_ cabins? There have to be hundreds of Gods- Nemesis, Khione, Iris, Hypnos, Enyo, Nike, Hebe? They're all Gods, minor yes, but still Gods, so why don't they have their own cabins? Heck, Hades is a member of the freaking 'Big Three' where is his Cabin?"

"Only the Olympians have Cabins here." The blonde replied bitterly. "There is a reason there are so many unclaimed, simply because their parent is a Minor God and can't offer them a home if they're claimed."

"How the hell is that in any way fair?" Persephone exploded loudly, her voice rising, attracting a few curious glances from other campers. "Are they that _dense_ that they believe that only the Olympians have the right to have a child with a mortal? Half of these stupid cabins are empty! I can see that from here!"

Luke grabbed her arm and pulled her towards Cabin Eleven, ignoring her growls at the fact that he was dragging her along, and the curious glances around them. As he pulled her along Persephone stared at the elaborate cabins, her heart clenched as they came to a stop in front of Cabin Eleven, the cabin that looked even remotely normal. Luke opened the door and pushed her inside, surprising himself as he found it deserted.

"This is my home. The Cabin that I'm in charge of, Hermes Cabin is the only one that will take those who are unclaimed, because we're the only ones who actually care! Persephone, you have no idea." He laughed hysterically. "I'm Cabin Councilor for a reason, who do you think it is that comforts these kids when they're crying at night because they know that if they haven't been claimed after two months here, then they won't at all? You're right it's not fair, but nothing will change."

Persephone shook her head, staring at the floor that was crowded with sleeping bags and the bunks that seemed to have two to a mattress. "How many are there?"

Luke's stony mask had disappeared and all she could see was the betrayal in his blue eyes. "Put it this way. There are four of us who truly belong in this Cabin."

"Please tell me you're joking." Persephone begged. Luke shook his head and she gripped a bunk bed tightly, holding herself upright. "There's got to be forty campers in here."

"Thirty-seven." The blue-eyed boy corrected softly. "Well thirty-eight now that you're here but something tells me you won't be unclaimed for long."

"This is not right." The green-eyed girl grumbled. "Why hasn't Mr. Brunner- Chiron said anything? Why hasn't Dionysus? He's an Olympian, he has the power to change things and yet he sits idly by as thirty-seven kids are unclaimed by those who are supposed to love them."

Luke shook his head and grasped her hand once more, leading her out of the cabin. "They may be Gods Beauty, but they still make mistakes. This is just one of the more obvious ones. Do you want to see the other Cabins?"

Persephone nodded absently. Her reasonably good mood had evaporated at the sight of the inside of Cabin Eleven. Was that her fate? To become another occupied sleeping bag on the floor of Cabin Eleven? Luke led her towards the head of the field where two cabins sat side-by-side, almost identical in their design although the smaller of the two had a distinctly more feminine feel.

"Cabin One and Two, belonging to Zeus and Hera respectively." The blonde explained beside her.

The green-eyed girl stepped forwards, drawn to the smaller cabin decorated with pomegranates and flowers. Her hand slipped from Luke's grasp as she traced a peacock with her fingertips. As her fingertips touched the white walls a rush of emotions flowed through her body before fading as quickly as they started. This cabin felt so warm and inviting to her, almost like home, and yet it was so cold, so- Persephone shook her head and stepped away from the large building.

Luke watched the smaller girl closely behind his guarded mask. If he was completely honest with himself he was surprised that she hadn't been blasted all the way to Hades just for touching Hera's cabin. He touched her shoulder lightly and directed her to the next Cabin.

"Cabin Three. Poseidon."

The black-haired girl stumbled as she felt the same feeling coming from the Poseidon Cabin as she did Hera's as Luke began to point out the other Cabins (Demeter, Cabin Four. Ares, Cabin Five.) She realized what the last feeling she'd felt from both cabins was. Loneliness. They were lonely. Four Cabins later (Athena, Cabin Six. Apollo, Cabin Seven. Artemis, Cabin Eight. Hephaestus, Cabin Nine.) She was still lost in thought. How was it that she felt something from either Cabin? First of all they were both buildings, and second of all why those two?

"Well, what do we have here Luke? A newbie?" A taller girl, around fourteen strolled towards them, a cut off camouflage jacket over her orange t-shirt and a spear that had to be a good foot taller than Persephone slung over her shoulder. The brown haired girl smirked as she came to a stop in front of them.

"Persephone Jackson, undetermined." The blue-eyed boy replied as he gave her a wry grin.

The brunette stuck her hand out to the shorter girl. "Clarisse La Rue, Daughter of Ares."

Persephone accepted the hand and shook it strongly. If this girl was a daughter of Ares, she'd probably appreciate someone showing strength, so with what little muscle tone she had, she attempted to make a reasonable first impression.

The girl laughed and shook her hand with equal force. "We'll make a warrior out of you yet kid. Gotta work on those arms though. You're like a twig."

Luke smirked. "She weighs nothing, maybe we'll put you in charge of training her Clary."

The brunette scowled. "Seriously Castellan? I was nine. Enough with the nickname."

Persephone suddenly felt like she was intruding. She glanced towards the open-air Pavilion kids of all ages were walking towards it, separating into groups as they sat at their Cabin Tables.

"I like nicknames _Clary_, besides, you've had enough for me over the years." Luke's voice was playful as they started wandering towards the Pavilion. "This will be your first dinner at Camp Beauty, just follow my lead and you'll be fine."

Persephone pointedly ignored Clarisse's hushed whisper to Luke as they walked however the slight breeze carried the words right to her ears.

"Beauty? Luke, I know you can handle yourself but-"

"Loosen up Clary, don't worry about me, I know what I'm doing."

"I'm not worried about you. I'm worried about _her_."

"Why?"

"There are seven people at this camp who are old enough to remember what Thalia looked like, and everyone of us has noticed how similar that girl looks. Don't hurt her Luke."

Persephone glanced at the pair beside her as Clarisse shot her a small smile before she stalked towards the Ares table. Luke had a scowl of his face as she left but as the black-haired girl stared at him he schooled his features into a cheeky grin.

As they took a seat at the over-crowded Hermes table Persephone wasn't surprised to find herself sandwiched against Luke's left side, whilst an unfamiliar black haired boy was squished against her right. He was older than her, maybe a year or two younger than Luke. His eyes seemed to flicker as she stared at him; they went through a cycle of colours, stormy grey, midnight black and finally a startling violet. It was mesmerizing to watch, she felt herself being hypnotized by the multitude of colours and forced herself to look away- a faint blush stained her cheeks.

"I'm Ethan." He smirked as he caught the blush. "Undetermined."

"Persephone, also undetermined."

A thought struck her as they boy nodded in understanding. _How do you get claimed?_

Ethan answered her unasked question. "They send a sign. It's like a projection or a holograph of their symbol. Don't get your hopes up kid. It's not likely."

The black haired girl scowled. "I've noticed. How long have you been here?"

"Four years. Ever since my dad was murdered. This place is my home. I'm a year-rounder."

Persephone's eyes widened. Four years? "You mean some kids live here all year?"

Ethan nodded. "Kids like me," The 'and you' went unspoken as he explained how the camp worked. "Whose mortal parent has been killed or" He lowered his voice. "Kids like Luke, who were kicked out or ran away." She felt the blonde stiffen at her side. "And there are others who simply come for the summer."

Chiron commanded everyone's attention by slamming his front hoof onto the marble floor of the Pavilion. Persephone did a double take as she looked at him. It finally clicked in her mind that he was _the_ Chiron. Trainer of Heroes and Gods alike. He raised a glass to the ceiling. "To the Gods!"

The green-eyed girl watched as everyone around her raised a glass mimicking the centaur's actions. She glanced down at the silver goblet in front of her. It was empty.

"Speak to it." Luke told her with a grin. Persephone stared at him like he'd lost any sanity he had left. "You just tell the goblet what you want and it will fill. Non-alcoholic of course."

"Raspberry and Coke?" She asked tentatively, her eyes once more fixed on the goblet. A mischievous smirk crossed her lips. "_Blue_ Raspberry and Coke?"

Luke glanced at her curiously as he set a large Cesar Salad in front of her. She smiled as she saw that someone had already added grilled chicken strips to it. Even though it was one of her favourite foods, there was still way too much for only her to eat. "Follow me Beauty."

Once again he grasped her free hand and led her towards the center of the Pavilion where a young girl with eyes like lava tended to a fire pit. No one seemed to notice her as they dropped a portion of their meal into the burning embers.

"Burnt offerings to the Gods. They like the smell."

"You're serious?"

The boy smirked his eyes dancing as he stared at her. "No, I'm Luke."

Ignoring her answering grin he stepped forward and dumped some of his food into the fire. "Hermes."

Persephone stepped up to the fine and glanced at the twelve-year-old who stoked the burning embers with a contented smile. "Lady Hestia." She placed a portion of her salad into the fire as the girl looked up in shock at the smoke that rose into the air. "Lady Hera." Another portion fell into the flames as the small girl almost fell into the fire she was tending to. Persephone's voice lowered as she placed a final piece of her meal into the fire pit. "Father... whomever you are."

As she stepped back from the fire a small hand on her arm stopped her. "Thank you child."

"You're welcome my lady." Persephone replied respectfully. "Can I ask- I mean, why is it that no one can see you?"

Hestia smiled sadly. "Maybe they were looking, but not really seeing."

"Persephone?" The green-eyed girl turned around as Luke called her name. He was still standing beside her. She blinked quickly and turned away from him, searching for the young girl, but all she found were wisps of sweet smelling smoke. The two returned to their seats and Persephone found herself squished once more between Ethan and Luke. Once everyone had finished their meals Chiron stamped his hoof immediately gaining the attention of the gathered campers.

Dionysus stood with a great heaving sigh and glared at the assembled group. "Yes, I suppose I better say hello to all you brats. Well hello. Our activities director, Chiron, says the next capture the flag is on Friday. Cabin Five presently holds the laurels."

Persephone glanced at the table behind her as loud cheering erupted from the Ares Cabin. Clarisse smirked as their gazes locked. The black haired girl raised a glass in a toast to the older girl, who reciprocated with a vicious grin.

"Personally," The Wine God continued, "I couldn't care less, but congratulations. Also we have a new camper. Pallas Jefferson." Persephone smirked at the glint in his eyes. He got her name wrong on purpose.

"_Persephone Jackson." _Chiron hissed from beside him.

"Err, right. _Persephone Jackson_." He paused. "Well stand up girl, say hello!"

Persephone did as she was told and got to her feet to the polite claps of the other campers. She could feel the burn of a glare of hatred on her back and turned to face that direction. It didn't surprise her to find the angry eyes of Annabeth locked with her own as she sat with her equally athletic brothers and sisters at what she believed was the Athena table.

"Now everyone run along to your silly campfire. Go on!"

The cheers were back, this time from the entirety of the campers. The Apollo campers led the way to the Amphitheatre, their smooth voices carrying as they harmonized along to random camp songs. The campers settled on logs around the flickering campfire, toasting marshmallows and laughing. Persephone held a toasting rod in her hands as she sat in silence, her thoughts occupied by her mother. A tall dark-haired boy sat beside his hands clasped between his knees.

"It get's better."

Persephone looked up at him. His eyes were violet, just like her mothers used to be. "I can't feel it. I feel-"

"Numb." Ethan supplied softly.

"How long did it take you?"

The boy with the black hair looked down. "To get over it? Or to feel again?"

Persephone laughed bitterly. "Both." The laugher died quickly.

"You won't get over it. It will always be there. But one day you'll wake up and find that it doesn't hurt anymore." Persephone listened to the boy beside her with half an ear as she watched the rest of the campers enjoy their selves around the fire. She watched as Luke told some of the youngest campers a story that had the four seven-year-olds in fits of giggles.

The silence lingered between them for what seemed like hours before the younger girl spoke up. "I haven't cried."

Ethan tentatively took her hand. "There isn't a time limit."

* * *

It was easy to fall into a routine at camp. Wake up, inevitably squished against another unclaimed in the over-crowded Hermes Cabin, attend classes taught by Nymphs, Satyrs and the occasional camper and then attempt to figure out just what exactly she had a modicum of talent in. Ethan had offered to be her tutor in Ancient Greek after Annabeth had refused Chiron's order rather explosively, while Clarisse had made it her personal mission to turn her into the ultimate warrior. Girl Power and all that.

As it turned out, she was reasonable with a bow. Reasonable being that it hadn't taken her twenty-seven arrows to hit the target, instead it took twelve, and even then the arrow ended up in the outer rings. She'd stopped after she almost hit an Apollo camper with an arrow, the older boy was standing _beside_ her at that point and she was aiming for the _target. _The Daughter of Ares that had taken her under her wing and made her into her personal project had taught her a version of hand to hand combat, that Persephone had found surprisingly easy to pick up. It was like her mind knew exactly what she had to do but she just had to train her body to follow the commands.

After the black-haired girl had watched Clarisse spar with her half brothers on some of the multilevel training equipment, and the athletic brunette had executed some gymnast level flips and handsprings to not only avoid her brother's meaty fists, but to jump from the top of one tower to the other, she'd demanded that Clarisse teach her how to do the same. So after hours of bruises, cuts and a mildly sprained ankle Persephone had finally done exactly what she wanted to, evade Clarisse in a fight _without_ a weapon.

Today was her first sword-fighting lesson. The whole of Cabin Eleven had gathered in the large circular training arena where Luke and Ethan as the two oldest cabin members put on quite the show as they glided around the pit with a practiced ease. The sound of metal clanging against metal mingled with the cheers of the campers as they watched the two boys fight. They ducked, slashed, parried and stabbed with ease, as each swordsman seemed to anticipate the other's next move before they made it. Persephone's eyes followed the two boys in their late teens as they fought, her body tensed in anticipation as she watched, imagining herself in the same position, this, _this_ was something she would enjoy immensely.

The swords met in mid air above the two swordsmen with a resounding clang as one of Luke's younger brothers called a draw, much to the delight of the members of Cabin Eleven.

"Welcome to Swordsmanship 101." Ethan began with a grin before being slapped up the backside of his head by a smirking Luke.

"Don't mind him. He was dropped on his head as a child. Now is everyone fitted with their armor? Yes? Good. Today we'll teach you some basic stuff, so in an _orderly_ line, come up to the front and grab a sword. Most of you have your own, but for those who don't, the personalized rack is on the left, the communal rack is on the right."

In the complete opposite of an orderly line the members of Cabin Eleven rushed towards the racks of swords. Three quarters of the cabin members went to the left rack, whilst the others went to the right. As Persephone perused the swords, not one felt right in her hands. Either they were too long, too light or too heavy.

"Luke, are the practice swords the same as regular swords?"

The blonde nodded. "They sure are Beauty. What's your problem?"

"None of these are right." The green-eyed girl replied. "They're either too long, too light or too heavy. But-" She pulled the hair clip out of her hair and twisted the flower, the familiar weight of Anaklusmos materializing in her hand. "I could use this."

Luke's eyes' widened almost comically as he stared at the gleaming bronze sword. "May I?" Persephone handed the sword to him. He held it in front of him almost reverently. "This is a beautiful sword, perfectly balanced-" He put it back into her palm and stepped behind her, his arms over her own as they held the sword in front of them. "It's the perfect size for you, three feet- you're very lucky Persephone, not many have a sword as good as this."

The black haired girl nodded as she tried to force the slight pinkness of her cheeks away. He was six years older than her. She needed to get a grip. And quickly too, before anything got out of hand. "Thanks."

He set her up with a dummy in Greek Armor, and taught her some basic moves, simple slashing and stabbing. As the two boys moved around teaching everyone how to do the simple moves correctly, Persephone focused on the dummy in front of her. For a moment she imagined that it was alive, that it was coming for her and reacted according to her instincts. She imagined her opponent's sword coming from above and parried it, her eyes following the imaginary blade as she dodged, swiped, slashed and parried against her imagined foe.

So focused on what she was doing she didn't notice the multiple sets of eyes that had settled on her as she fought off the invisible foe. Luke's eyes narrowed as he stared at the black haired girl, he'd gotten too close to this girl and he'd known her for six days. The move he'd pulled less than half an hour earlier with the sword had been spur of the moment, he'd _enjoyed_ being that close to her, and for his mission that was not a good thing. He was wavering. And he knew it.

"Okay everybody circle up!"

Persephone looked up at the sound of his voice, a slight blush illuminating her cheeks as she spotted his eyes fixed upon her.

"Now if Persephone doesn't mind, I want to give you a little demo."

The green-eyed girl shrugged. _Why not?_ She figured. _It's not as if I'm terrible at sword fighting. _

"Right. So what I'm going to show you is a disarming technique. I'll teach you how to twist your opponent's blade with the flat of your sword, forcing them to drop it so you can finish the fight. Now it's difficult, I've had it used against myself-" He playfully glared at Ethan who smirked back at him. "So no laughing."

A few seconds later Anaklusmos clattered to the ground. The blonde picked it up and handed it back to her with a small grin.

"Now, in real time. Keep sparring until one of us pulls it off."

Persephone nodded as raised the gleaming bronze sword. They circled each other like caged animals for a few minutes before Luke lost his patience and lunged at her. Persephone immediately parried his blade and ducked under his arm, kicking him in the small of the back as she spun so she was facing the back of his head. Luke threw himself into a forwards roll and shot to his feet, swiping his blade in a sweeping arch as he did. Persephone jumped backwards to avoid his blade before deflecting a stab hurriedly and jumping to the side as she did, towards the half empty sword racks.

The blonde's eyes narrowed as she purposely backed towards them, deciding to see what she would do when backed into a corner he was completely thrown as she vaulted onto the flat top of the rack easily. Each of the racks were two meters in length, Persephone used both of these to her advantage as she jumped to avoid Luke's swipe at her knees and sprinted towards the opposite end, flipping onto the ground she kept up her pace as Luke charged at her. Ignoring the excited yells from their cabin-mates the two teens engaged in a close-counter battle, their swords clanging against the other before Luke gained the upper hand, using his strength to force down on the blade Persephone held above her head.

The black haired girl grinned viciously as she stomped on his foot, shocking him so completely that she had enough room to attempt the disarming manoeuvre and with a loud clang, Luke's sword clattered to the ground.

The training arena erupted into cheers as Persephone won the fight. Luke grinned at her as he picked up his sword. "I forgot that you'd been training with Clary. I should have expected some of those moves."

Ethan clapped her on the shoulder with a wide grin. "Not bad for a newbie. But can you do it again?"

The second fight was much shorter, and ended in Luke's favor. As Ethan had so eloquently put it, winning against the best swordsman in camp wasn't bad for a newbie, especially someone who up until three days ago had been lying unconscious in an infirmary. All in all Persephone was pretty proud of her efforts.

It was late in the afternoon the next day when Grover had finally managed to catch up with his best friend, the green-eyed girl had been overjoyed to see him, especially when he showed her his favorite spot by the lake where they could have a proper conversation.

* * *

"I can believe I missed your fight with Luke! It sounded epic!" The scrawny boy complained as he munched on a tin can.

"You would not believe the amount of bruises I have gotten from him and Clarisse over the past few days. I didn't even know you could get sore in half the places I'm sore in."

Grover laughed. "It comes with the blood I guess."

The sat in silence for a few moments before Persephone spoke up softly. "How'd your chat with Dionysus go?"

"You know, you're one of the only people who actually calls him by his real name. It's oddly refreshing."

"Grover."

She knew he was stalling. She knew him too well. "He was oddly proud. The fact that I'd helped slay the Minotaur was a big plus in his books, but it's still not enough to atone for the loss of Thalia." He looked down the tin can forgotten. His voice turned mocking. "Our fates are still tied together. Which means I'm not becoming a Searcher unless you get a quest and the likely-ness of that is the same as Dionysus drinking wine with his next meal."

Persephone changed the subject, knowing that the previous one was particularly painful to the young Satyr. "Grove, why aren't there any kids of Zeus or Poseidon? I mean Hera and Artemis I can understand, I mean one's a maiden and the other actually respects her marriage vows, but I don't get why their cabins are empty, there's more than enough campers to fill them."

"It's an honorary thing. The only reason Hermes accepts the unclaimed is because he's the God of Travellers. The Big Three thing is more complicated."

"The Big three is Poseidon, Zeus and Hades correct?"

He nodded. "After World War II things got a little messy, it was basically a fight between the Zeus and Poseidon kids, America and Brittan respectively and the Hades kids, Germany. They'd drawn lines and in the end they'd gotten countless mortals killed in their misguided quests for power. At the end of the war, the three made a pact, they wouldn't sire any more mortal children, to assure that it would be kept, they all swore on the River Styx."

Persephone nodded, understanding what had happened. "So they kept their word?"

Grover's eyes' darkened in unresolved rage. "No." He growled. "Seventeen years ago Zeus fell of the wagon. A mortal woman caught his attention. A TV star- he just couldn't help himself. A beautiful little girl was born and seven years later a son. When the little girl was nine, he mother took them for a picnic, a perfect day in the children's otherwise tragic life. When the girl returned to the car to get a picnic blanket, her mother murdered her younger brother."

"W-why are you telling me this?"

"This was the fate cast upon the child of the man who broke the oath." Grover responded angrily. He wasn't angry at her, but at the situation. It seemed to be something he held very close to his heart. "She was nine when she ran away and for three years she was alone, until she met a boy two years older than her who had suffered a similar fate to hers, and a seven-year-old girl. For a year they were a family."

Persephone's eyes widened as she realized where this story was going.

"Then they met someone else. A young Satyr, who promised them the world." Grover laughed bitterly. "The Satyr promised a roof over their heads, food in their bellies, a safe place to rest their heads, a place where they could call _home._ Children of the Big Three have a stronger aura than other demigods, and when the three had come together, they literally became a moving target for every kind of monster imaginable. When Lord Hades found out about the Daughter of Zeus he was furious, he sent the worst monsters in his arsenal after her."

"Why?" Persephone shook her head. "She didn't choose to be born. It wasn't her fault!"

"Lord Hades wanted revenge after Zeus had ordered two of his children be killed. A daughter, who was barely two-years-old and a son who was born just two months after the pact, but they'd been conceived before it came to be so they were supposed to be spared. Zeus murdered their mother in cold blood, and attempted to turn his wrath on the children. In return for killing the only mortal that he truly loved Hades ordered the hit on his niece." Grove stared at his shaking hands as he continued. "They made it to the top of Half-Blood Hill."

The green-eyed girl stared at the hill where they'd fought the Minotaur together. Where she'd lost her Mom. She wondered how many lives had been lost over they years, just meters before they'd reached the hallowed ground of camp.

"All three Kindly Ones were after them, a hoard of hellhounds were hot on their heels and they were tired. So tired. The youngest girl was barely eight and she had a broken arm, severe burns and was bleeding heavily. The fourteen-year old boy couldn't fight as he has the young girl in his arms, and a broken ankle to contend with. They were so scared." His voice had started to waver, the pained memories being brought to the surface. "Zeus's daughter told the Satyr to get the other two demigods to safety, that she'd hold off the monsters on her own. He refused to leave her, but in the end he had no choice but to go. The fourteen-year old placed the little girl in his arms and begged girl to come with them, so they'd all be safe, so that they'd be together."

"Grove…" She felt sick to her stomach as she realized exactly who the people in the story were.

"She didn't want to live like a hunted animal she didn't want that life. So, she told him to leave. He told her he loved her, and she did the same." The curly haired boy was fighting back tears as he continued. "Thalia made her final stand alone, on top of Half-Blood Hill, because she was willing to sacrifice her life to save the lives of three, simply because she was a better person than her father. He took pity on her." He laughed bitterly. "It was his _fault_ but he looked down at her with _pity_. The Pine Tree that protects our home is made from Thalia's spirit, she's the reason that the border around camps extends as far as it does. That's why it's called Half-Blood Hill. Because she_ payed_ for the sins of her father."

Persephone stared down at her hands as they fell into silence once more. In an effort to move the subject from a painful one she'd inadvertently asked how Thalia had died.

"Grover, I'm so sorry."

The curly haired boy wrapped his arm around her shoulder and held her tight. "I know Pers. I know."

Her body shook as the silence descended between them once more. It was then that the tears began to fall. She cried for herself, for the people she'd lost. The small girl cried for Thalia, the girl who'd sacrificed herself for her friends. She cried for Luke, for Grover, for Annabeth and Ethan. For all the demigods who'd lost someone they'd loved. But most of all she cried for her Mom, the woman she couldn't save.

* * *

**AN: So, I wrote most of the last bit late at night, and honestly, I'm quite proud at how it's turned out! Yes, I've tweaked the backstories a bit but since this is an AU i've got the right to! So what do you think?**

**By the way, Pallas was a daughter of Triton- Just a little thing I thought was funny. Don't mind me.**

**Read - Review!**


End file.
